Welcome to the sixth episode of the Career Hackers Secrets Podcast. Today we welcome Latrice Barnett. Latrice was once a band musician touring the world, and now she is a Senior Director at Salesforce in Silicon Valley. We'll get into the details of how she decided to completely change her life after 9/11 when she quit her very lucrative job to become a full-time musician.

Latrice learned a lot about becoming an artist, becoming comfortable on stage, and connecting with an audience. Then, utilizing these skills, she pivoted into a project management role in a creative agency and later into tech.

As always, we dig deep into the challenges and behind-the-scenes struggles. Latrice successfully transitioned from being a night owl to being back in a corporate setting, all while dealing with impostor syndrome and being a black woman in tech.

If you are looking to see how your current skills can help you pivot into a new opportunity in a top tech company from an incredibly different type of job or lifestyle, this episode is for you.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introducing Latrice Barnett

04:34 - Latrice’s background: Moving abroad, joining a band, and studying literature

07:10 - Coming back to the States, doing tech and quitting to being an artist full-time

11:02 - Pivoting into tech and project management: From landing an opportunity as a project manager and producer to joining Salesforce

14:13 - The most challenging part of transitioning from being a musician on the road to being in an office

15:16 - How did you approach landing interviews to break into different jobs? Understanding who your audience is and what do they want

17:12 - What skills did you feel you didn't have? Book smarts vs. experience, and having the freedom to fail

19:15 - Being open during the interviews process: The similarities between the music business and small businesses

21:04 - The experience at Salesforce so far: Carving out a place for yourself at a larger company

23:33 - What do you wish you would have known before getting into tech? The challenge of being a black woman in tech / The brainpower of many is more valuable than the brainpower of one

25:34 - Advice for coping with impostor syndrome: Listen to your gut and look for people who can help you

28:02 - Don't be afraid to reach out and connect with other people

29:44 - Where to find out more about Latrice

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